


The Enigmatic Betty Cooper

by kay1993



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Established Relationship later, F/M, I added some stuff, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Soft Jughead Jones, mostly follows the show
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-11-23 11:24:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20891336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kay1993/pseuds/kay1993
Summary: Jughead wasn't sure when things had changed between him and Betty Cooper. When he was six, he was jealous of her friendship with Archie, and resented the way Betty followed his best friend around like a lost puppy as they all grew older. After the murder of Jason Blossom, things are no longer what they seem in Riverdale. Jughead's realizing there's more to her than he once thought.





	1. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jughead Jones remembered the first time he had ever laid eyes on the enigma that was Betty Cooper. Jughead could recall everything about that fateful day, the memory seared into his brain. Jughead remembered where he was standing, the color of Betty’s dress, and the feeling of the aching knot that settled in his stomach at the realization that his best friend since before Kindergarten, Archie Andrews, had ditched him for a girl.

Jughead had just turned six years old, and he felt like his small world was slowly spiraling and careening out of control. His parents were constantly fighting with each other, shouting ugly words and throwing things at each other. It has quickly escalated to a level that was even worse than their usual bickering. This has been going on for months, and Jughead guessed it wasn’t going to end any time soon. Jughead would take the liberty to make himself scarce during his parents’ heated arguments. It was easier to imagine he could turn invisible, as he tried his best to blend in with the background. To not draw attention to himself as he pilfered through the kitchen for any food, and snuck out the back door without a word.

Once the door slammed behind him, Jughead wasted no time getting as far away from the small trailer that had always felt like a home to him, but was no beginning to take on a very crowded and chaotic atmosphere.

It was during one afternoon when his mom had called his dad a great number of unsavory names, that Jughead realized he liked to explore the town where he lived, Riverdale. His favorite spot by fare was Pop’s Chock-lit Shoppe, a local diner where he felt more at home than he once had at Sunnyside Trailer Park on the Southside, and where he already had a tab that grew longer with each passing day. He would tell the owner, Pop Tate that he’d become rich and famous one day, and use the money to pay for all the French fries, milkshakes, and burgers he devoured on a near daily basis. The jolly man would always reply to the boy with a smile and booming laugh. He took pity on the young boy, who lived on the wrong side of town, who had a father that even Jughead was beginning to realize did not provide for his family in the most legitimate or legal ways. Judging by the number of days his father spent leaving on his bike, only to return during the late hours of the early morning, along with the building tension in the tiny trailer, it was safe to assume Jughead’s father was in business with bad people. Recently, Jughead had become more protective of his dada, worrying while he was gone, and hoping he wouldn’t come home with any more cuts or bruises, end up in jail or another night, or not show up at all.

Another place Jughead really enjoyed going was the edge of Fox Forest, near Sweetwater River. Jughead especially liked walking by the water when he was feeling anxious or upset. The quiet sounds of the current and the nearby woods allowed Jughead to relax and clear his mind. He liked coming to Sweetwater River best at nighttime, when he could look up at the sky and gaze down at the reflections of the moon and constellations the stars made in the moving water. 

One day, when his parents had gotten into an especially nasty fight and Jughead was feeling sorry for himself, he accidentally ventured into the middle of the Northside of Riverdale. The streets were quiet and still, lined with shiny cars parked in front of perfect houses. It was a stark contrast from the neighborhood Jughead was growing up. Hardly anyone had cars on the Southside, and even if they did it was safe to assume they were dirty, old, and constantly breaking down. The houses here seemed to be ten times the size of his trailer, and he couldn’t hear any yelling inside as he passed by.

As he strolled along, Jughead imagined the lives of the people who could possibly afford to live in these large, beautiful homes. He pictured beautiful mothers, handsome fathers, and happy little girls and boys who spent their days playing with the other little girls and boys who lived on the  _ right  _ side of town. These Northside families would probably take trips to the countryside or the beach or amusement parks during the summers, the mothers would pack neat little sandwiches into picnic baskets, and the fathers would drive their nice cars toward the direction of their journey. It was certainly a life Jughead had never known, and he was beginning to discover that he was probably never destined to be a part of.

Jughead walked down the sidewalk, head down and thumbs hooked into his belt loops, not paying any attention to where he was going because he knew in his heart that he didn’t belong anyway. He didn’t want to belong in Sunnyside, with the barking dogs, screaming children, and parents who yelled and fought inside cramped trailers. He certainly did not belong here on the Northside. Not in this place that looked too clean and too put together for the likes of someone like Jughead Jones the Third. It was during this particularly lonely moment when Jughead was too consumed with self-pity that he bumped into a body of similar size to his own. 

Jughead looked into the eyes of his would-be best friend, Archie Andrews, apologizing for his clumsiness, and trying to flee from this embarrassing situation as quickly as possible. Surely this Northsider would recognize that Jughead belonged somewhere far from here, and would demand he leave this instant. The redheaded boy didn’t seem to be having any of that, however, as he jutted out his right hand, smiled, and looked at Jughead expectantly. Jug immediately realized this kid wanted a handshake from some reason, and as he complied and introduced himself, Jughead found himself face to face with the most compassionate person he had met, other than the generous Chock-lit Shoppe owner.

* * *

Yesterday, Jughead had decided to pay Archie a visit to escape the mess that was his dysfunctional home life. Jughead had already been to Pop’s for a few hours, and decided to see if Archie wanted to play for a few more before Jughead had to head back to the Southside. He couldn’t run away forever.

Jughead had knocked on Archie’s front door and waited for his redheaded companion to appear on the other side. The door had opened, and revealed Archie’s dad, Fred Andrews, who had smiled down at Jughead.

“Hi son. How’s it going?”

The sides of Jughead’s mouth had turned up into a smile. He really liked Fred. He was a great father to Archie, and best of all, allowed Jughead to come and go as the boy pleased. Archie had a really great mom too. Mary embraced Jughead with the same kindness as her husband, and she made really great cookies too. She always let Jughead know he was welcome to stay for dinner any time. It made him happy to know that even if  _ his _ family was falling apart, that at least the Andrews could serve as his surrogate family from time to time.

“Hey Mr. Andrews. I’m doing all right, is Arch home?” Jughead was always one to get right to the point.

Fred had laughed and shook his head as he told Jughead that Archie and Mrs. Andrews had just left for Archie’s football practice. Archie told Jughead about it the day before, but he must have forgotten in his haste to get out of the trailer. Jughead felt a stab of disappointment in his stomach, wishing he had somewhere to be right now. A place where he belonged.

Fred had let him know that Archie would be home tomorrow, and that he would let his son know that Jughead had stopped by. Jug had left, thanking Fred and letting him know he’d see him tomorrow. Jughead hooked his thumbs into his belt loops, and began his journey home. He would just have to go home a little earlier today. Jughead hoped his dad had already left on his motorcycle, that way the trailer would at least be quiet for a few hours. 

Jughead had a very large imagination. Sometimes he would imagine his family doing normal things, like the kids on the Northside got to experience. Doing things like Archie’s family did. Like his mom driving him to football practice after dinner, or his dad throwing a ball in the yard with him. Jughead yearned for normalcy, for a close relationship with his parents. But mostly, Jughead just wanted them to make each other happy again. He wasn’t sure why or when that had stopped. 

* * *

The next day, Jughead woke up and got dressed in a hurry. His parents had been up most of the night arguing, which had deemed it impossible for the six-year-old to fall asleep at a reasonable hour. From what Jughead could make out through the walls of the trailer, his dad had gotten home late again, and his mom had wanted to go somewhere. His dad had promised her. Jughead may be young, but he knew promises were special. Sacred even. Especially a pinky promise. He hoped his dad wasn’t the kind of person who would break a pinky promise.

His parents had finally fallen asleep in the early morning. It gave Jughead a few hours of peace where he could try to go to bed. Jughead woke up with the sun as its light streamed through the gaps in his blinds and flooded his room with its golden warmth. There were only a few more weeks of summer vacation left, and Jughead planned to take advantage of the freedom. He and Archie would be entering first grade this year, and he hoped they would still be in the same class together. Having Archie around was like having an anchor to keep him from sinking.

Jughead pulled his beanie cap down over his inky black hair, the crown-shaped hat was a reminder of the nickname his dad had given him long ago: his little Prince. Jughead wondered if that made his father the king, but of what? Jughead walked out his bedroom, and went to the kitchen in the hopes of finding something suitable for breakfast. Today was a particularly lucky day, because he found a single Pop Tart left in the cupboard, and there will still a couple mouthfuls of milk left in the carton. Jughead pulled the milk into his mouth, wiped his face on his sleeve when he was done, and placed the empty carton in the garbage on his way out the back door. Luckily, both his parents were still asleep and things were calm inside the trailer. Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe today was the day when things got fixed and went back to normal again. 

Jughead decided to skip Pop’s this morning, and instead would ask Mrs. Andrews if it was okay to stay for lunch, and maybe even dinner. Even though Jughead knew these arrangements came without strings attached, he still did not like feeling as if he owed people something or that he was overstaying his welcome. Even people as generous as Pop or the Andrews. 

Jug rounded the corner on Archie’s street, and wondering what sorts of games they would play today. Lately, Archie loved talking about football practice, and would try and show his friend some of the plays and strategies he had learned. Jughead would pay attention and like to listen to Archie talk about something he enjoyed so much, but he really had zero interest in sports. Jughead was more of a pretend play sort of kid right now. He and Archie would compromise, and would role-play as pirates, astronauts, cowboys, cops, super heroes, and anything else they could imagine, as long as Jug agreed to listen about football practice. Recently, Archie had received a guitar for a birthday present, and had started taking lessons on some of the days he didn’t have football practice. Jughead was eager to see what Archie had learned. 

Jughead finally reached the Andrews’ home, and knocked on the front door. Most kids his age would be too embarrassed to knock on someone’s door, but Jughead Jones didn’t mind. Especially if that meant escaping his chaotic life for a few hours every now and then. Mary opened the door, and asked Jughead if he wanted a bagel. He happily obliged, and followed Mrs. Andrews to the kitchen. His mouth watered as she popped an Everything bagel into the toaster. 

“How’s it going today, Jug?” Mrs. Andrews asked. 

“The sun is out, and there’s still a few more weeks of summer vacation left. Seems like it’s going to be a great day.” He beamed at her, and Mary couldn’t help but smile back. She was fully aware that Jughead was from a completely different world than her own son. Mrs. Andrews hoped that she could provide enough love and support for this child, without stepping on any toes of course, and that her family’s kindness would impact this boy in a positive way somehow. 

The toaster pushed Jughead’s bagel up, and Mary wasted no time grabbing it and spreading butter on top before pushing it toward Jughead, wrapped in a paper towel. He smiled and thanked his best friend’s mom, asking her where he could find Archie. 

Jughead walked toward the backdoor of the Andrew’s home, munching on his second breakfast, and opened the back door to see what Archie was up to. What happened next unfolded like a movie. 

Immediately, Jughead knew that Archie was not alone. He heard the ginger boy talking and laughing, and Archie was not one to talk to himself. Suddenly, Jug saw two bodies approaching him rapidly, and realized that Archie was playing a game of tag with somebody. It sort of hurt Jughead that he made plans to play with his best friend, which he was also using as an escape from his mess of a home life, and that Archie was too preoccupied with this other person to even notice Jughead standing at his back door.

As the figures came closer, Jughead felt an aching knot settle in his stomach as he realized Archie Andrews had ditched him for a  _ girl _ . Archie and Jug had many conversations that ended in the agreement that girls were nothing but weird, gross, and annoying. Sweetwater River could freeze over before either of them would engage in any sort of interaction with a  _ girl _ . And yet, here they were.

Said girl had a short, blonde ponytail that bounced as she ran from the redhead. She had a smile plastered to her face, along with a determined look in her eyes that screamed,  _ You can’t catch me! _ Jughead felt sort of impressed at how fast this girl could run, especially when she was outfunning his friend who played football, but then he shoved that feeling aside.  _ Nobody plays with girls, _ he thought in disgust. 

The girl wore a pink dress, and not the bright obnoxious pink that Jughead couldn’t stand. No, this was more of a pink like the cotton candy you could find at the annual Riverdale Summer Carnival. Jughead couldn’t help but notice that the color of her dress matched the blush that was rising on this blonde girl’s cheeks, her face flushed as she was caught up in her game with Archie. 

Speaking of his best friend, Jughead shook himself to rid himself of the distraction this girl had created as he called out to Archie. 

Archie stopped in his tracks, and changed direction to run full force at Jughead. The girl’s head turned to see what had happened, and why the game of tag was being delayed.

“Hey Jug,” Archie panted out.

“Hey yourself,” Jughead spat, a small amount of jealousy seeping into his tone. “Who is  _ that _ ?”

Archie was a little slow to catch onto things, but he wasn’t an idiot. He knew that Jug was upset there was someone else present in the backyard. He cleared his throat and answered his dark haired friend. 

“Jug, this is my friend Betty. Betty Cooper. She lives next door to me.”

Just then, the girl bounded over to the two boys, smiling at Archie and shyly gazing at Jughead. She waved “hello” to him, and invited them to join their game of tag.

Instead of returning her sentiments, Jughead quickly made up a poor attempt of an excuse and turned to exit through the kitchen and out the front door, forgetting his bagel in the process. Jug ran as fast as his feet could carry him once he made it outside the Andrews’ home. He hadn’t had the heart to look his best friend in the eye as he barely muttered above his breath. He wouldn’t be surprised if Archie didn’t even hear what he had said.

But Jughead didn’t care, because he was too busy running. Running away from all the places he didn’t belong to anymore. He didn’t belong at home, where his parents didn’t even seem to love each other, let alone him anymore. He didn’t belong at the Chock-lit Shoppe, because he couldn’t pay his tab like a normal person. And now he certainly didn’t belong at the Andrews’, though he still considered Archie his closest friend, because he had been replaced by a pretty girl by the name of Betty Cooper, who Jughead Jones knew he couldn’t compete with. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I began this fic on Fanfiction.net, but started experiencing issues with the site. I've decided to move the fic to AO3 permanently.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had been weeks since the beginning of first grade, and Jughead was torn. One one hand, he had gotten his wish. Archie Andrews, his best friend, was in his class again this year. It was a huge relief to Jughead to have some form of support in his life. However, Jughead was incredibly disappointed that he had to share his time with Archie, because a certain girl next door was also in their class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thanks for all the kudos. This is my first work, so be sure to let me know what you think!

Jughead groaned as he woke up. It was always the same. It started with the sound of his dad’s motorcycle screeching to a halt in the driveway. This was followed by the thudding cadence of heavy boots walking up to the trailer door, which would slam shut behind his dad as he entered the trailer. This would effectively wake Jughead, who would sit up in bed, rub his eyes, and fall into the routine of getting ready for school.

Jughead’s mom, Gladys Jones, sat at the kitchen table with a cigarette in her mouth, and a cup of coffee steaming in front of her. His mom wasn’t sleeping much at night, which explained why she seemed to completely ignore her son as he entered the room. Jughead was incredibly adaptable by nature. That was the way he survived. He knew the drill by now, and silently crept through the kitchen to the fridge, where he pulled out the brown paper bag that held his lunch inside. It was one of the few gestures of affection Gladys was capable of performing lately. Jughead passed by his mother, lightly kissing her on the head, and walked out the back door. 

He wished Archie lived closer so they could walk to school together. Jughead supposed he could wake up earlier, but quickly dispelled this thought for the sake of getting a few extra minutes of sleep. The knot that formed in his stomach anytime he thought of Archie spending time with  _ her _ was rearing its ugly head again. No matter how much he tried not to let it bother him, Jughead was jealous of the Cooper girl. She lived right next to his best friend, and seemed to spend all the time in the world with the redheaded boy.

It didn’t help that they walked to school together, played together, and could even see into each other’s bedrooms. The seating arrangement at school served as another way to annoy the boy. Their teacher chose to seat everyone in alphabetical order, so Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper were assigned to sit next to each other, while Jughead was a few rows back, beside Kevin Keller and Josie McCoy. 

Lunch was a nice reprieve in the middle of the day and served as a way to break up the mundane routine of school. There were no assigned seats at lunch, so Jughead was finally able to spend some time with his friend, but unfortunately that meant Betty was also bound to be there. And if Betty was around, that meant Kevin was also nearby. Sometimes Betty and Kevin would get lost in their own conversation, which meant Jughead didn’t have to share Archie’s attention for a short while. They also played together during recess, a time when it was the general consensus among the kids in his class that boys and girls playing together was  _ weird.  _ Jughead still had to share Archie, because Kevin only felt comfortable around the two of them.

Jughead could honestly say he didn’t mind Kevin that much. It was Betty who annoyed him to no end. She stood for everything that was the opposite of him. She wore crisp, clean clothes - no,  _ dresses _ \- and pretty white shoes, while he sported dark T-shirts, worn and faded jeans, and dirty black boots on his feet. She was sunshine and happiness and rainbows and puppy dogs. She was light, pink perfection.

Jughead Jones was darkness, bred from parents who didn’t love each other anymore. He was Southside trash, forsaken to a life on the wrong side of the tracks. Far away from the glow of Betty Cooper, the perfect girl next door, and Archie Andrews’  _ other  _ best friend. 

* * *

Walking home after school wasn’t so bad, because Jughead could walk part of the way home with Archie. That also meant Betty was in tow, being Archie’s next-door neighbor and all. Kevin also tagged along, because he lived a few houses down from them.

“Do you want to stay over for dinner, Jug?” Archie asked his friend after they dropped Kevin off. Betty’s green eyes darted between the pair, and Jughead tried to swallow the embarrassment that bubbled up his throat. He didn’t need pity from anyone, especially  _ her _ . Still though, a meal at the Andrew’s home was better than no meal at all, or having to put another cheeseburger on his tab at Pop’s. Jughead agreed, but only after they dropped Betty off next door. 

* * *

The next day was Friday, and it passed by slowly as the weekend loomed teasingly overhead. Jughead and Archie had plans to have a campout in Archie’s backyard. Fred Andrews was an avid outdoorsman before he got bogged down by Andrews’ Construction. He had plenty of tents, sleeping bags, flashlights, and any other equipment the boys would need for the weekend. Jughead was looking forward to having some uninterrupted time with his best friend. It would be just like before Betty came into the picture. 

Finally, the lunch bell rang, and the class lined up to walk to the cafeteria. Jughead squeezed himself up in the front behind Archie, and the two talked about the upcoming weekend as they filed into the lunch line. 

“Hey Jug, I was kind of wondering if Kevin could come over too? My dad told his dad about it, and my mom says Kevin doesn’t have a lot of friends.”

Jughead thought about it for a moment, and conceded, feeling bad for Officer Keller’s son. Before Jughead had bumped into Archie on the sidewalk, he had known what it was like to go it alone.

“Sure thing, Arch.”

“Thanks dude!” Archie beamed. “I’ll ask Kevin at recess.”

Jughead though that was for the best, because he didn’t want Betty to catch wind of their weekend plans. He walked through the lunch line with his best friend, choosing which fruit and vegetable he wanted with his chicken patty sandwich. Jughead grabbed a chocolate milk and took his tray over to their usual spot at the lunch table. Having Kevin tag along would certainly change the dynamic of the weekend, but Jughead was still looking forward to it nonetheless. 

* * *

It was during the walk home when things got complicated. It was the same as any other day, Archie and Jughead walking down the sidewalk, with Betty and Kevin following along behind them. Jughead was in the middle of explaining something to Archie, when Betty chimed in.

“What are you guys doing this weekend?”

Jughead and Archie shared a look. They hadn’t anticipated they would have to reveal their plans to Betty. It was obvious why Jughead didn’t want her around, and Archie sensed this, so he didn’t push the issue. What they hadn’t expected was Kevin to divulge the subject, exposing their plans they made without her. 

Archie, not wanting to hurt his new friend, decided to hesitantly extend an invitation to her. 

“Arch,” Jughead piped up, “I thought we said this was going to be a guys only weekend?”

Archie swallowed. He didn’t want to disappoint either of his best friends. He just looked at Jughead. Jughead turned to Betty.

“You’re a girl! And girls aren’t invited to guys only weekend. Rules are rules.” Jughead’s word seemed final. He looked to Archie, then to Kevin, and back to Archie. He purposefully avoided the pair of green eyes that belonged to Betty.

A hush settled upon the group, no one knowing what to say next. Jughead felt slightly awkward at the tension, but justified in his actions. Surprisingly, it was the blonde who broke the silence. She raised her head slightly, not meeting any of the boys’ eyes, and spoke in a quiet voice. 

“I hope you guys have a good time this weekend. Sorry for inviting myself.”

Betty’s voice broke a little at the end of her sentence, a fact not lost on Jughead, Archie, or Kevin. Betty broke away from the group after that, turning to walk the rest of the way home as she held herself around the middle. Jughead tried to ignore the tear he watched fall from her face down onto the pavement below, wetting it with a tiny drop.

Kevin took off after Betty, and Jughead was left standing there between Archie and the damp spot Betty’s tear had made.

“She just wants to be friends, Jug. You should give Betty a chance.” Archie took a step forward, continuing their walk home. Jughead fell instride beside his friend, trying to push his feelings of regret aside. He wondered if Kevin would still come tonight. 

* * *

About an hour later, Jughead was standing in the kitchen with Mary, as she put the final touches on snacks for tonight. Archie was in the garage with his dad getting all the equipment they would need for their weekend. Jughead was about to take a bite out of the trail mix Archie’s mom had made, when there was a knock on the door. 

“Jug, would you be able to get that for me?” Mary asked as she looked around for another bowl to put the potato chips in.

“Sure thing,” Jughead walked over to the door and opened it. He was surprised by who was on the other side. 

Kevin stood there, with Betty standing behind him, not meeting Jughead’s gaze. Jughead was confused about what  _ she  _ was doing here.

“Hey Kev, we were wondering when you were going to show up!” Jughead opened the door wider to invite Kevin inside, but he didn’t budge.

“I’m not here for the campout, Jughead. Betty has something she needs to give you and Archie.” With that, Kevin stepped aside and nodded to Betty in a way that was meant to reassure the blonde. Betty stepped forward, still not meeting Jughead’s blue eyes, and handed him two small pink envelopes. 

“Thanks,” Jughead replied. “What are these for?” Betty gazed up at him shyly.

“It’s my birthday,” she said. Jughead didn’t know what to say. He had no idea it was her birthday, and though his meant nothing to him, he knew other people liked to acknowledge and celebrate theirs. 

“Shouldn’t I be the one giving you a card then?” The boy asked her. “I didn’t know it was your birthday.”

“It’s not my birthday yet. It’s next week, September 13th. I’m having a party.” It was Jughead’s turn to drop his gaze. This was the second time in the last hour that he and Betty Cooper had shared an awkward moment. He wasn’t sure how to respond. 

“I was going to invite you and Archie, that is  _ if  _ you even wanted to come. With me being a girl and all.” There was a slight edge to her tone. They met each other’s gaze for the first time, and Jughead noticed how red her eyes were. She must have cried even after she got home. Jughead knew in that moment that he had hurt Betty Cooper. He suddenly felt like a monster for what he had said. 

Jughead came to realize something, then. He loved Archie like a brother, he was his best friend. Jughead knew he would do anything for his ginger friend, and that Archie felt the same way about him. If Jughead was going to be friends with Archie, he had to accept that Betty came as a package deal. And that Kevin was probably going to be included most times as well. If he was going to be spending time with the girl next door, he should at least try to tolerate her for Archie’s sake.

“We’ll be there,” Jughead answered, swallowing his pride. This brought a smile to the blonde’s face. Kevin seemed pleased as well. “Why don’t you guys come in? Archie and his dad are setting up the tent in the back.”

Betty’s face broke out into a huge, dazzling smile and grabbed Kevin’s hand, pulling him inside the Andrews’ home. Jughead led the way to the back yard. Archie looked surprised, but was happy to have more of his friends over to partake in the weekend festivities. 

* * *

The four friends spent the evening munching on the snacks Mary Andrews had prepared, roasting marshmallows, and getting to know each other as if for the first time. Jughead had learned some interesting things about the people who were sitting in the tent with him. For starters, he found out Archie could already play a few chords on his guitar and that his lessons were going really well. Kevin shared that he wasn’t really a sports kind of guy like Jughead, but that he did enjoy music like Archie did. And Jughead found out that the perfect girl next door told really great scary stories. He wondered if she had heard them somewhere before or if she was imaginative enough to invent them herself. 

Throughout the night, Jughead realized that Betty wasn’t actually so bad. Once you got over her goody-two-shoes demeanor, you saw that underneath was a very compassionate and fierce girl who would do anything for her friends. That spark and loyalty was something that Jughead found he sort of admired about her. 

After stuffing themselves full of graham crackers, chocolate, and burnt marshmallows, the friends just sat and stared into the fire. The blonde girl sat across from Jughead, and he watched her gaze at the flames. She laughed as listed to Archie tell a story about football. It was easy between the pair, just like it had always been between him and Archie. It was through the flames of the fire that Jughead Jones saw Betty Cooper in a different light, no longer simply viewing her as the perfect girl who lived next door to his best friend. 


End file.
